Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow. I must have been about seven when my father left Porbandar for Rajkot to become a member of the Rajasthanik Court. There I was put into a primary school, and I can well recollect those days, including the names and other particulars of the teachers who taught me. As at Porbandar, so here, there is hardly anything to note about my studies. I could only have been a mediocre student. From this school I went to the suburban school and thence to high school, having already reached my twelfth year. I do not remember having ever told a lie, during this short period, either to my teachers or to my school-mates. However, I used to be very shy and avoided all company. My books and my lessons were my sole companions. To be at school at the stroke of the hour and to run back home as soon as the school closed—that was my daily habit. There is an incident which occurred at the examination during my first year at high school and which is worth recording. Mr Giles, the educational Inspector, had come on a visit of inspection. He had set us five words to write as a spelling exercise. One of the words was ‘Kettle’. I had misspelt it. The teacher tried to prompt me with the point of his boot, but I would not be prompted. It was beyond me to see that he wanted me to copy the spelling from my neighbour’s slate, for I had thought that the teacher was there to supervise us against copying. The result was that all the boys, except myself, were found to have spelt every word correctly. I could never learn the art of ‘copying’. Yet the incident did not in the least diminish my respect for my teacher. I was by nature, blind to the faults of elders. Later I came to know of many other failings of this teacher, but my regard for him remained the same. Two other incidents belonging to the same period have always clung to my memory. As a rule I had distaste for any reading beyond my school books. The daily lessons had to be done, because I disliked being taken to task by my teacher as much as I disliked deceiving him. Therefore I would do the lessons, but often without my mind in them. Thus, when even the lessons could not be done properly, there was of course no question of any extra reading. But somehow my eyes fell on a book purchased by my father. It was Shravana Pitribhakti Nataka. I read it with intense interest. One of the pictures I was shown was of Shravana carrying, by means of slings fitted for his shoulders, his blind parents on a pilgrimage. The book and the picture left an indelible impression on my mind. (An excerpt from The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) 1. Choose the correct option from the bracket and fill in the blanks. (a) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a/an __________________________ student. ( average, poor, intelligent) (b) As a boy, Mohandas used to be very _______________ and avoided all company. (timid, fearful, outspoken) (c) The teacher tried to ______________________________ him with the point of his boot. (suggest, force, instruct) (d) Young Mohandas________________________________ any reading beyond his school books. (disliked, liked, hated) (e) He read Shravana Pitribhakti with _______________ interest. (great, least, little) 2. Answer the following questions in brief. (30 words) (a) Where did Mohandas complete his primary education? (b) Who were Mohandas Gandhi’s sole companions in his childhood? (b) Who were Mohandas Gandhi’s sole companions in his childhood? (c) Which incident given in the passage reflects Mohandas’s honesty? (d) Which two things did Mohandas dislike the most? (e) What did the picture of Shravana convey to Mohandas Gandhi? (f) Pick out five qualities and traits which young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had. One is done for you. Absolutely non-judgemental, couldn’t see the bad qualities of his teacher. 3. Locate words from the passage with similar meaning: (a) reduce __________________________ (b) only one __________________________ (c) dupe __________________________ (d) permanent effect __________________________
Answers
Explanation:
1.
(a) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an average student.
(b) As a boy, Mohandas used to be very timid and avoided all company.
(c) The teacher tried to suggest him with the point of his boot.
(d) Young Mohandas liked any reading beyond his schoolbooks.
(e) He read Shravana Pitribhakti with great interest.
2.
(a) Mohandas completed his primary education when he was twelve years old.
(b) Books were Mohandas Gandhi’s sole companions in his childhood.
(c) Gandhiji’s teacher prompted him to the right spelling of “kettle”, which he refused to do.
(d) Mohandas disliked reading the books other than his schoolbooks.
(e) Shravana conveyed devotion for parents to Mohandas Gandhi?
(f) Pick out five qualities and traits which young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had. One is done for you. Absolutely non-judgemental, couldn’t see the bad qualities of his teacher, always obedient, time management, being honest.
3. Locate words from the passage with similar meaning:
(a) reduce diminish
(b) only one sole
(c) dupe copy
(d) permanent effect indelible effect
Explanation:
1.
(a) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an average student.
(b) As a boy, Mohandas used to be very timid and avoided all company.
(c) The teacher tried to suggest him with the point of his boot.
(d) Young Mohandas liked any reading beyond his schoolbooks.
(e) He read Shravana Pitribhakti with great interest.
2.
(a) Mohandas completed his primary education when he was twelve years old.
(b) Books were Mohandas Gandhi’s sole companions in his childhood.
(c) Gandhiji’s teacher prompted him to the right spelling of “kettle”, which he refused to do.
(d) Mohandas disliked reading the books other than his schoolbooks.
(e) Shravana conveyed devotion for parents to Mohandas Gandhi?
(f) Pick out five qualities and traits which young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had. One is done for you. Absolutely non-judgemental, couldn’t see the bad qualities of his teacher, always obedient, time management, being honest.
3. Locate words from the passage with similar meaning:
(a) reduce diminish
(b) only one sole
(c) dupe copy
(d) permanent effect indelible effect